Dayz Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Hi everyone, I just started to strip my Z and I am now at the stage of repairing the body, probably media blast (any idea is welcome) and have it primered. Those picture are my shell on the rotisserie. 1- Floors are gone, I will have to replace them. What Steel gage should I use for the floor pans and the sub frame connectors. http://usera.imagecave.com/dayz/240z/Datsun5mars020.jpg 2- Upper front frame are gone as well, as you can see in the pictures. What steel gage should I use here to fabricate new ones. Strong as the stock one. http://usera.imagecave.com/dayz/240z/Datsun5mars016.jpg 3- Rocker panels have to be changed...Again what steel gage. Some screws are still in the body and can't get them out, can't drill them. How do you guys take those screws out. Example are fender screws, Hood hinges, cowl... My last question would be: What are the steps I should use, repair the body after get it to the sandblast and get a nice shell...Get it to the sand blast so it will be clean and start the sheet metal there? I don't know what I should do first. Thanks for you help guys Dayz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 http://www.datsunzparts.com/start.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 I would suggest that you dip the car if you can. There is a ton of dum-dum or seam sealer in these tubs, including quite a bit around the floors, and it is a bitch to get it all out or weld around it. I'm not sure that media blasting would take it off, but it seems like dipping would remove it. Although I am no expert, I would definitely get all the crap (paint, bondo, dum dum) off before you start fixing. Taking it off a bit at a time is a real pain. It will be interesting to see if my newly formed opinion is backed up by the experts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 I have a complete front end from 74 260, cut off fromthe fire wall forward to the core support, I dont know what shipping would be, but it is all there stripped clean and realy solid, mihgt make it easier to replace the upper frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 After looking at your pics I reccomend that you stop now and find a better car. I know, you can't find one or they are all rusty or you have more time that money. You will spend more on that car than you will scraping it and buying another. I speak from experience. It will get old chasing rust. Look in the classifieds on this site. Some good starting points there. Not being an A$$ just speaking from experience. On the second pic you linked, that rust is terminal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Wow, after seeing that, I feel much better about my 260... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayz Posted March 10, 2005 Author Share Posted March 10, 2005 Thanks for the info guys. SBC 400 you have pm. There is some metal to be done on this car, yes you are right. The floors are in bad shape, the front Upper frame both side have to be completely changed ( The lower are in very good shape), front and rear parts of rocker panels and it is about it. Some rear fender work as well. I am not really scared about the metal work, I like to fabricate. Mark, I live in Canada, cars more than 5 years old are rusted, there is no Z available in here. I would have to bring a really good body from somewhere in the states. I will look further into that. Other parts are in pretty good shape, interior is perfect, dash perfect, good engine... Information is welcome. Thanks Dayz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Good to see someone else from Ontario here! Man, that car is rusted.. but STILL in overall better shape then my 75' 280 was in when I got it. (outer shell for sure, floors maybe a bit worse.. weird..) I'm serious, my car was really bad; and I fixed it. Actually, I'd rather have started with something like yours; NOT previously repaired/tacked together. I had to deal with what looks to be 3 awefull body jobs, a 2 poorly welded in replacment floor pans, a trashed interior, bad efi, and lots of missing parts. (like bumpers , carpets, rad saddle...) Granted your front unibody is gona need serious work, but I wouldn't throw it away just yet.. You sound like you have some skill, or at least an understanding of what kind of repairs are needed and I think half the fun of 'project cars' is striping them down and rebuilding evrything.. In the end, you KNOW what you are driving, and can be proud that you built it, not bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Thanks for the info guys. SBC 400 you have pm. There is some metal to be done on this car' date=' yes you are right. The floors are in bad shape, the front Upper frame both side have to be completely changed ( The lower are in very good shape), front and rear parts of rocker panels and it is about it. Some rear fender work as well. I am not really scared about the metal work, I like to fabricate. Mark, I live in Canada, cars more than 5 years old are rusted, there is no Z available in here. I would have to bring a really good body from somewhere in the states. I will look further into that. Other parts are in pretty good shape, interior is perfect, dash perfect, good engine... Information is welcome. Thanks Dayz[/quote'] I e-mailed you back with some pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerrari GTO Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Dayz- most people here, myself included have used 18ga sheet for floor and unibody repairs. It's a little thicker than factory sheet metal in many areas and easy to weld if you take you time and take care not to burn through your welds. Dipping the car would be the best move but it can be expensive; Henry Cotanzo (the Pres. of the Z club down here) just had a shell dipped for $1.50 per pound. The shell and doors weighed in at 600+ lbs. (over $900). If you can't swing that then sandblasting and scraping are in your future (thats the route I went). If you are going to restore the sub-frame and uinbody, go ahead and do the sub-frame connector upgrade. The shell is already stripped and you will kick yourself later for not doing it. Install these while the car is on jackstands; especially if you think things are too weak to suspend on a rotisserie. You won't be sorry. Speaking of-do yourself a favor and make a rotisserie. It will be one of the easier parts of what your getting ready to do and cut your work time in half. Take your time and cut out anything on the shell that is questionable. If you cannot see the inside of a body part in question cut out a small section and look around inside. These cars are known for rusting from the inside out. If you like to fabricate and have patience (and the car is not a total basket case) you will have something to be proud of when your done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSflyer Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Wow! That upper frame is amazing to see. My floors and door frames were way worse though, and after 6 months of cutting and patching it's all good as new. Good luck. My only advise would be to get the shell off the rack and onto jackstands on a level floor BEFORE you cut big pieces out of the unibody. Set the jackstands so the offer they most support possible, even if you have to use 6 or 8 of them. I'd really worry about the body deflecting if you cut on it while it's on the rack. No sense doing a bunch of work and ending up with a tweaked body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Dayz, Canada eh? Good luck on your project. You have more patients than me. Hope it goes well. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 that does look like a good basis any plans on mods ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Maudlin Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 I hate to be a naysayer, but after building a project Z only to have it eaten by rust, I have to say, scrap the project now and find a better Z. I just recently bought another Z. I had to have it shipped from Oregon. It is as rust free of a Z as I have seen. I paid $2200 plus $950 shipping. It was so much better of a deal than trying to start with a rusty Z. I didn't want to listen to anyone last time and I spent $12,000 on my Z before I ended up ripping it to pieces and parting it out. Lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifton Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Wow. I would try and find an AZ car. The amount of time and work to get just the shell close to good would be enough to restore a rust free car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaysZ Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 wow.. building up that particular shell will cost a pretty penny.. there is quite a bit of rust like most all have said.. its a labor of love thats for sure. if you are doing it for the experience, where better to start from from a complete bare shell, it should make for a very cool project. if however, you are doing this project with any kind of budget in mind, do take the advice of others and find a better foundation to build upon... all of us here know how much of a PITA rust can be. i'm getting new floors/framerails and various other pieces cut out and welded in with new steel and its $2400 so far. (this includes complete paintjob in gunmetal, including interior since its totally stripped.. and i've been told i'm getting a heck of a deal for all the labor thats involved. ) well, anyway, good luck with the project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerrari GTO Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Dayz, When I first viewed the photos of your shell I thought the black area on the upper frame rail was a shadow not complete rust through! I would definitely look for another shell-that one is disintegrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayz Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 Hi Guys, Thanks again for the inputs. Yes you are right, a body shell would be a great idea, less hours spent on repairing rust. Do some of you have a rust free shell for sale ? I might just repair it myself, as I said I love to weld and this is a project. The Upper frame rails are but not the lower. The other route I might take is SBC400 offer on a 260z front half:http://usera.imagecave.com/dayz/240z/inner_fender.jpg http://usera.imagecave.com/dayz/240z/left_fender.jpg He says it is surface rust and would be easier to change the front end than repairing everything. How much would you guys pay for those two inner fenders? I will cut all the crap this week end, I will keep you posted. Dayz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerrari GTO Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 It would be very difficult to get those front end pieces attached to your existing shell and have everything line-up correctly. Save yourself time, money and heartache. Go south my friend and look for a good rust free car/shell in the S.W. United States. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaysZ Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 i think John from Reaction Research can get rust free shells from the Arizona/Cali area.. http://www.reactionresearch.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.